Theme: Order in Chaos

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Swatantrata Bhavan
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005
India

ABHINA AHER

Abhina Aher is one of the most well known and reputed transgender activists in India.She is a fulltime staff member of the Indian HIV-AIDS Alliance responsible for a national campaign aimed at expanding AIDS awareness and prevention. She was instrumental in passage of the law which recognises the transgender as a third gender, in India.

ANANDA SHANKAR JAYANT

Dr Ananda Shankar Jayant, is one of India’s most eminent and renowned dancers and is celebrated as one of India’s leading classical dancers, choreographers and dance scholars. She performs in two classical styles namely-Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. Ananda is also a Senior officer of the Indian Railways Ananda has been decorated with the "Padma Shri" in 2007 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for Bharatanatyam in 2009. A TED speaker in 2009, Ananda’s TED talk is now much viewed and highly ranked as one of 12 Incredible TED talks on cancer.This TED talk was recently ranked as one of 5 Greatest TED talks by Indians

HARUN ROBERT

He is a professional artist, a children’s icon , a designer and a mainstream TV personality. He is also the host and the Creative Director of M.A.D on Pogo, which happens to be one of the most successful art and craft TV show for children. Apart from that he has also delivered a TEDx talk at IIT Gandhinagar and has also been conducting workshops on Art and Craft throughout India, notable example being the one conducted for Sakal Times at Mayfest. The Micheal Jackson portrait on the launch of the “Xscape” album, also adorns his list of creations.

JAHAN PESTON JAMAS

Originally of Australian descent, Jahan leads the strategy and collaborations function at Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO) by identifying viable stakeholders in the hemp ecosystem that share BOHECO’s vision and develop strategic partnerships and collaborations to exponentially scale impact. He is also the focal point of BOHECO’s communications. Before co-founding BOHECO, Jahan helped set up start- up companies and social enterprises such as one of Mumbai’s first walking tour companies-having conducted tours for over 5000 people in 4 years. These have enabled him to bring intriguing insights on successful scaling of early stage businesses. As such, Jahan also plays an important role in developing growth strategies and raising capital for BOHECO.

KANISHKA SINHA

Kanishka Sinha’s core area of expertise is in designing customized programs that address strategic HR and business needs of our clients.His other hat is that of a Trainer & Executive Coach, with experience of coaches from USA, Canada, France, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, etc. Major clients he has worked with recently include the Aditya Birla Group, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), Kraft Foods, CRISIL, Idea Cellular, Schenker, PETRONAS, Tokio Marine Life Insurance, Teach for India, Akanksha, etc.Prior to Stillwater, he worked for Arthur Andersen in their Business Advisory division, in Sales & Marketing at Hindustan Unilever Ltd. and as India Country Head for boutique leadership firm TWP.

KARTIK IYER

Kartik Iyer is CEO & Cofounder of Happy in Bangalore, India.Founded in 2007, Happy today is one of the most respected independent creative agencies in the country.Happy's work behind creating India's largest e-commerce brand flipkart.com, is treated with high acclaim in the subcontinent.Kartik is credited as being the brains behind the nationally loved ‘flipkart kids’ campaigns. His 'postcard' commercial for Incredible India is a piece that is widely known and enjoyed across the world. More recently, Happy’s work for Ola Cabs with the ‘Chalo Niklo’ has sky rocketed the success of the brand across the country. Having started his career in 1996 as a copywriter, he has worked in agencies like Y&R Dubai & Ogilvy India. Since then he has delivered high impact creatives on brands like Diesel, Ford, Land Rover, Lee Jeans, Myntra, Ola Cabs and Flipkart.com, amongst others. Kartik is also a well known stand-up comic performing under the alias 'The HigherIyer'.

RAGHU RAMAN

Raghu Raman was the former CEO of National Intelligence Grid(India). Raman joined the Indian Military Academy in 1986.He then left the army and went on to become the chief of operations of Mahindra Group’s used car business. Later in 2000, he shifted to the Mahindra Special Services Group before taking over as the CEO of the joint venture between Mahindra and British Aerospace, Mahindra Defence Land System, in 2009. Raman teaches "leadership" at business schools such as the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, Mumbai, and several other institutes.

SANJEEV KAPOOR

He has the proud distinction of being the only chef in the world to have his own channel – FoodFood. He has been conferred the ‘Best Chef of India’ award by the Government of India. He represented India in the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS) in South Korea and here he introduced them to the wonders of the ancient Indian way of Ayurvedic cooking. He was the Indian ambassador for UN’s Clean Cook Stoves campaign for the underprivileged of developing countries. He represented India as a Food ambassador in Spain under the Spanish Government’s Indian Future Leaders Programme (IFLP). He has done cookery shows all over the globe with famous culinary personalities like Rachel Ray, Richard Quest and Rene Redzepi.